Dead space free measuring tube for a measuring device as well as method for its manufacture

Abstract

The invention relates to a measuring tube for conveying a medium, a measuring device comprising a measuring tube, especially a measuring device for determining temperature, as well as to a method for manufacturing a measuring tube. The measuring tube comprises at least one subsection of a pipeline and at least one immersion body, wherein the immersion body protrudes at least partially into the subsection of the pipeline, and wherein at least the subsection of the pipeline and the immersion body are manufactured as one piece and produced by means of a generative method.

1 - 18 . (canceled) 
     
     
         19 . A measuring tube for conveying a medium, comprising:
 at least one subsection of a pipeline; and   an immersion body protruding at least partially into the at least one subsection of the pipeline, wherein the at least the subsection of the pipeline and the immersion body are manufactured as one integral solid body using a generative method from a digital data set in a forming process, wherein the solid body with a geometrically defined form is produced from a formless material.   
     
     
         20 . The measuring tube of  claim 19 , wherein a longitudinal axis of the immersion body extends substantially perpendicular to a wall of the at least one subsection of the pipeline. 
     
     
         21 . The measuring tube of  claim 20 , wherein a region of a transition between the wall of the subsection of the pipeline and a wall of the immersion body parallel to the longitudinal axis is free of dead space. 
     
     
         22 . The measuring tube of  claim 20 , wherein at least one radius in a region of a transition between the wall of the subsection of the pipeline and a wall of the immersion body parallel to the longitudinal axis satisfies a hygiene standard according to at least one of ASME, BPE, 3A or EHEDG standards. 
     
     
         23 . The measuring tube of  claim 19 , wherein the subsection of the pipeline is a T-piece or an elbow. 
     
     
         24 . The measuring tube of  claim 19 , wherein the immersion body is a protective tube embodied to accommodate a sensor element of a field device. 
     
     
         25 . The measuring tube of  claim 20 , wherein a cross-sectional area of the immersion body perpendicular to the longitudinal axis has a generally circular, oval, rectangular, triangular, arrow tip, diamond, circular segment or wing-like geometry. 
     
     
         26 . The measuring tube of  claim 20 , wherein a thickness of a wall of the immersion body is embodied such that a volume defined by the wall of the immersion body has an inner cross-sectional area complementary to a geometry of a sensor element and embodied such that an outer cross-sectional area perpendicular to the longitudinal axis, including the wall of the immersion body, has an generally oval, rectangular, triangular, arrow tip, diamond, circular segment or wing-like geometry. 
     
     
         27 . The measuring tube of  claim 20 , wherein the measuring tube is composed of stainless steel. 
     
     
         28 . The measuring tube of  claim 19 , further comprising a sensor element disposed within the immersion body. 
     
     
         29 . The measuring tube of  claim 28 , wherein the sensor element includes a measuring transducer configured to determine temperature. 
     
     
         30 . A method for manufacturing a measuring tube for conveying a medium, the method comprising manufacturing a subsection of a pipeline and an immersion body as one integral solid body using a generative method from a digital data set in a forming process, wherein the solid body with a geometrically defined form is produced from a formless material, and wherein the immersion body protrudes at least partially into the subsection of the pipeline. 
     
     
         31 . The method of  claim 30 , wherein the digital data set includes at least geometric size and/or applied material information, and wherein the forming process includes a layered application and/or melting of a powder. 
     
     
         32 . The method of  claim 30 , wherein a metal powder is used in the forming process. 
     
     
         33 . The method of  claim 30 , wherein the forming process is laser sintering, selective laser sintering, laser melting, selective laser melting, laser deposition welding, metal powder deposition methods, fused deposition modeling, multi-jet modeling, color jet printing, or LaserCUSING. 
     
     
         34 . The method of  claim 30 , wherein a geometric embodiment of the measuring tube is based on an iterative simulation, including a finite-element simulation, determined such that a predeterminable condition is fulfilled. 
     
     
         35 . The method of  claim 34 , wherein via the geometric embodiment of the measuring tube, a flow profile of the medium in the measuring tube is optimized and/or the measuring performance of the sensor element improved. 
     
     
         36 . The method of  claim 30 , further comprising transmitting the digital data set, including shape and/or the material information for the measuring tube, to a customer location, wherein the manufacturing is performed on-site at the customer location using the forming process.